By John O'Connor
Capital News Service
Friday, Sept. 13, 2002

ANNAPOLIS - Inter-county Connector supporters reveled in Tuesday's primary results, after nominating a pro-ICC majority to the Montgomery County Council and gaining strength in the State House. 

Voters in Montgomery County dramatically changed the balance of power in county government on the transportation issue. 

County Executive Douglas M. Duncan easily won re-nomination and Democrat Council Member Blair G. Ewing, the county's leading ICC opponent, lost his at- large seat. 

"The county executive is very pleased with the results," said David Weaver, Montgomery County spokesman. "We're going to have a majority of folks fighting for transportation and not being an impediment" if the Democrat winners prevail in November. 

The shift on the County Council will be important in future debate of the road, which would connect Interstate 270 with Interstate 95 and run through Prince George's and Montgomery counties, said Sen. Ida G. Ruben, D-Montgomery. 

"Now that we have a County Council that may have a majority in favor of the ICC, we can go forward," she said. 

In the past, Ruben said, state legislators pointed to the County Council as proof that there was not enough support for the project. The council adopted an alternative transportation plan that excluded the road and repeatedly rejected ICC measures. 

After Tuesday, she said, ICC supporters feel confident pushing for a new federal study and, eventually, seeking out federal sources to pay for the road. 

State House races also provided victories for ICC backers. 

Sen. Arthur Dorman, D-Prince George's, and Delegates Leon Billings, D- Montgomery, and Tod D. Sher, D-Montgomery, all ICC opponents, lost election bids in State House races. 

Voters made traffic their top issue, said a county delegate, and the ICC is part of the solution. 

"I think it's obvious that public opinion has been building for transportation solutions to end gridlock," said Delegate William Bronrott, D- Montgomery. "We saw some significant outcomes in Tuesday's election." 

A "balanced transportation system," including expanded mass transit, more Metrorail parking and the ICC, must be a top state priority, Bronrott said. 

"We have to find the resources and revenues to do this," he said. 

With both gubernatorial candidates -- Democrat Kathleen Kennedy Townsend and Republican Robert Ehrlich -- on the record supporting a new study of the proposed freeway, there may be enough support in Annapolis for the decades-old project. 

ICC opponents saw a different message in the election. 

"It doesn't change anything," said Dru Schmidt-Perkins, executive director of 1,000 Friends of Maryland. "The ICC simply cannot be built fiscally or environmentally. 

"What the elections say is that people are really frustrated with traffic, and we've got to do something about it." 

Voters only worsened the situation, said Schmidt-Perkins, because candidates working to solve the problem lost their offices. The ICC is years in the future, will not relieve traffic and is a distraction from real solutions, she said. 

Montgomery's prospective council members, said Betsy Johnson, chairwoman of the Montgomery group of the Sierra Club, were supported by developers. If the county is rezoned for more growth, it might become impossible to solve gridlock in the county, ICC or not, she said. 

The 1,000 Friends of Maryland supports better land-use planning - including placement of jobs nearer residential areas - and improved use of existing transportation and transit systems. 

The road's cost, at least $1 billion, is also an issue. 

"Already we can't pay for things that need to be done," said Schmidt- Perkins. "If you take a $1.5 billion highway and you add it to the list, it's now at the point of absurdity. Once again this road gets in the way of things that need to be done now." 

Opponents cite the cost of the road as a significant impediment. 

Secretary of Transportation John D. Porcari said Thursday the state must find new revenue sources or MDOT might not be able to pay for existing construction and maintenance needs.

Copyright © 2002 University of Maryland College of Journalism